Circular knitting machine



Oct. 27, 1931. WAGNER 1,829,691

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Och 27 1931. WAGNER 1,829,691

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 20. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 P asma Oct. 27, 1931 PATENT OFFICE FRIEDRICH WAGNER, OF LIMBACH, ennmy CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Application filed July 20; 1929, Serial No. 379,749, and in Germany July 28, 1928.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines of the class employing a series'of non-reciprocating needles having movable stitch-controlling elements operating there- :3 between and a circular row of thread guide elements operated to move relatively to the needles and lay thread thereon.

The object of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction and operation of such machines so as to ensure uniform stitch formation in the fabric produced there- According to the present invention a machine of the above type is provided-embody- 16 ing, in combination, a row of radially disposed non-reciprocating needles, a series of thread uides concentric with said needles, means or moving said guides relatively to said needles so as to lap the thread across same, elements operating between the needles and said elements displacing the knitted loops longitudinally of the needles.

The elements operating between the needles are provided with hook portions, and means are provided whereby said elements have imparted thereto movement both in the direc-- tion of the axis of the machine and also radially of said axis, this being advantageously effected by pivotally mounting said elements as to have an oscillatory movement.

The relative motions of the thread guides and of the elements between, the needles are so timed that during the motion of said elements toknock over orpress off old loops from the needles, the thread guides are moved vertically or otherwise clear of said elements.

For the purpose of more fully describing the nature of this invention reference will 40 now be made to the accoi'npanying drawings,

wherein Figure 1 shows in axial section the mutual position of the most, important machine parts with respect to each other.

Figures 2 to 6 show various successive working positons of the switch forming parts 'during one working cycle.

A circular row of needles 1 is fixed at the periphery of an annular member 2 which is m screwed or otherwise fixed at its centre to the central carrier spindle 3 of the machine. The needles are fixed in non-movable relation to the ring 2 and are radially disposed either horizontally or somewhat inclined, said needles being preferably of the bearded I type with their beards uppermost.

The needle presser 4 is in the form of a flat ring located above the needle beards and carried at its central boss by sleeve 5 which encircles the central spindle 3 and is adapted to be reciprocated vertically upon same through the medium of one or more rods or the like 6 screwed at the lower extremity into a flanged portion of said sleeve 5 and operated directly or indirectly from a cam mem ber or equivalent device.

Operating between the needles lisacircular row or series of hook elements 7 which hooks constitute portions of the cranked members 8 pivotally carried by bracket or bearing 10 portions 9 projecting up from the periphery of a ring 10 which is located at a suitable position below the needles and conveniently carried by a wheel-shaped body 11 having its central boss "12 slidably mounted upon the 7 central spindle 3. Inwardly extending arm portions 13 of the pivoted members 8 are formed at their extremities with rounded enlargements 14 which are accommodated within an annular groove 15 at the periphery of a ring 16 also capable of vertical displacement about the central spindle 3. The annular groove for the enlarged extremities 14 of the arms 13 may be formed by a narrow recess at the periphery of ring 16, said recess being closed on the underside by a ring plate 17 screwed to said ring 16.

Advantageously several of the hook-shaped elements 7 are formed on one pivoted crank member 8 or alternatively the members may I comprise thin strip members each bearing one hook and each inserted within a slot in a bearing member projecting from the ring 10.

The ring members 10 and 16 are both adapted for vertical reciprocation axially of the machine, and such movement may be effected through the intermediary of rods 18 and 19 respectively, screwed at their lower ends to the rings and operated directly or indirectly 1 v mechanism from rotatably mounted cam' discs, drums or the like located at any suitable position on the machine, preferably at the upper part thereof.

A circular series of thread guides 20 is arranged concentric with the needles 1 and secured to a ring carrier 21 supported at the lower. ends of arms 22'depending from a flange portion 23 on a sleeve 24 which sleeve encircles a second sleeve 25 which is capable of rotation around the axis of the machine.

'Advantageously the slel ve 25 is supported upon the machine frame 26 by means'of an annular plate 27 or equivalent part or parts, said plate or the like bein bolted to said machine frame 26. p

The connection between t e sleeves 24 and 25 may be efi'ected by one or more vertical keys and slots or by one or more bolt or spindle members 28 slidably disposed within a suitable bore or bores 29 in the sleeve 24, said bolt or bolts 28 being fixed to\ the sleeve 25 by a ring member or the like 39 and the ar rangement being such that while the sleeve 24 is capable of a vertically slidable move ment relatively to sleeve 25, the two sleeves are rotated about the machine in unison.

The vertical motion of the sleeve 24 and consequently also of the thread guides 20 may be effected in any suitable manner say for example by means of a recessed plate or bracket .31. which embraces the periphery of a flange portion 32 of said sleeve 24 and has connected thereto a rod 33 which is vertically reciprocated from a cam disc or equivalent device.

The rotating movement of the two sleeves 24, 25, and consequently also of the thread guides may be effected by means of a worm 34 carried by a spindle 35 and meshing with a worm toothed rim 36 on a flanged portion on the upper part of sleeve 25. The threads 37 may be fed to the guides 20 over guide rollers 38 carried by fixed bearer arms 39 extending radially outwards from the ring 21, the

thread being, if desired, supplied from spools placed in the lower part of the machine. 7

From the above it will be seen that the thread guides are movable upwards and downwards and can be displaced laterally relatively to the needles both in their upper and lower position, the arrangement being such that the thread guides are moved to their uppermost position while the hook elements 7 are being displaced radially outwards to knock over old loops from the needles, said thread guides being therefore moved out of machine parts have reached the position shown in Figure 1, the produced work 40 is drawn down the outwardly sloping faces extending from the hook elements 7. In this position the hooks are disposed well back on the needle shanks away from the beards, the threads being led thereto from the guides 20 which are disposed immediately beneath the needles, the presser 4 being located immediately above the beards. From this position the hooks 7 move toward the needle beards as indicated in Figure 2, said motion being efi'ected by oscillating the members 8 carrying thehooks on their pivots by imparting suitable motion to the rings 10 and 16. As the hooks approach the presser 4, said presser descends on the needle beards and further movement of the hook forces the last produced stitches on to the beards as shown in Figure 3. Before, however, the hooks 7 can continue their movement the presser 4 must first be quickly raised to the position shown in Figure 4, the thread guides being at the same time moved upwards to the upper side of the needles in a somewhat slower moio The continued movement of the hooks 7 then knocks over the previously formed stitches from the needles (see Figure 5) and position shown in Figure 1, and in returning to suchposition the books 7 move backwardly along the needles and carry therewith the last formed loops on said needles as shown in Figure 6.

The thread guides 20 are also displaced laterally when disposed beneath the needles at the position indicated in Figure 1, such movement being either in the same direction or in a direction opposite to that in which they were previously moved above the needles.

The invention may be varied in many ways, and in particular instead of attaching all of the thread guides to a singlecarrier ring a plurality of such rings may be provided each carrying a suitablenumber of thread guides and each ring with guides'being operated through separate motion transmitting means. If, however, for example two of such rings are provided same may be rotated in opposite directions.

Further the arrangement of the various parts before-described may be reversedin which case the work would be drawn upwardly from the needles and the needle beards and presser would be located on the underside of the needles.

said arms being pivotally connected to a sec- 4 0nd carrier ring, means for vertically reciprocating sald second carrler ring, the combmded movements of the two carrier rmgs effecting both a vertical and oscillatory movement of the hook members between the said.

needles.

2. A circular knitting machine comprising stationary bearded needles projecting radially from the periphery of a carrier ring, said carrier ring being immovably secured to a central spindle of the machine, a presser ring located over the needle beards, means for im- 'des to lap thread across the said needles, poked thread controlling members positioned between the said needles, and members having movement only in the direction of the axis of the machine adapted to engage with the said hooked members todisplace the said hooked members radially of the machine and raise and lower the said members so as to cause them to move threads longitudinally of the stationary needles and knock over the knitted stitches.

FRIEDRICH WAGNER.

parting vertical reciprocation to said presser ring, a circular row of thread guides, means for moving said guides to lap thread'across the needles, hook elements located between the needles, said hbok elements being provided upon crank-shaped members, said crank members being pivotally connected to two independently movable ring members, and means for imparting vertical reciprocation to each of said ring members so as to effect both vertical and oscillatory movement of the hook members between the needles.

3. A circular knitting machine comprising stationary bearded needles projecting radially from the periphery of a carrier ring, said carrier ring being immovably secured to a central spindle of the machine, a presser ring located over the needle beards, means for imparting vertical reciprocation to said presser ring, a circular row of thread guides, means for moving said guides to lap thread across the needles, hook elements located between the needles, said elements being pivotally connected to two carrier rings encircling the axis of the machine, and means for imparting vertical reciprocation independently to each of said carrier rings, the movement of said rin s being such as to transmit both vertical an oscillatory motion to the hooks between the needles, and the motion of the hook elements being so timed relatively to the motion of the thread guides that during the motion ofv said hook elements to knock over the knitted stitches from the needles said thread guides are vertically displaced clear of said hooks.

4. A circular knitting machine comprising a circular row of radially disposed stationary needles, a row of thread guides concentric with said needles, means for moving the said 

